Living History: Small town has big influence on America

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Although limited in size and population, the village of New London in southwestern Chester County has had a significant impact on the history of the United States. At less than 12 square miles, New London Township has a connection to the birth of our nation through at least three local citizens who helped bring the blessings of democracy to these shores.

Chartered in 1723, New London Township was part of a larger tract of land purchased by the London Company, which was formed by five entrepreneurs to develop real estate in the New World. The first immigrants were Swedish farmers; a later wave brought many Scots-Irish to the region. The town benefited being at the intersection of two major roads -- one connecting Philadelphia to Baltimore, the other linking Lancaster to Newcastle, Del. In the early 1740s, the Rev. Francis Alison of the New London Presbyterian Church established one of the very first schoolhouses in the Colonies -- the New London Academy. The academy would become famous for two reasons -- it was the parent school of the University of Delaware and the place where three signers of the Declaration of Independence were educated as children.

One of those children was Thomas McKean. South of the village off of present day Route 896, a Pennsylvania Historical Marker shows where the McKean family farm operated. McKean attended the New London Academy, then studied law in Delaware. He represented that state at meetings of the Continental Congress in 1774-1775. An outspoken advocate for independence, McKean was one of three representatives from Delaware; the other two were Caesar Rodney and George Read. Because Read was uncomfortable with rabble-rousers calling for separation at a meeting in July 1776, it became critical that Rodney cast his vote. Unfortunately during the proceedings he was 80 miles away in Dover, but McKean made sure he was contacted. Rodney rode all night in a rainstorm to reach Philadelphia, where he broke the tie in favor of independence.

McKean’s other actions influenced the course of history. He served as colonel in a militia unit formed by Benjamin Franklin, who helped train young men near New London not far from where George Washington kept a stable of horses to be used when he passed through town. Aside from his signature on the Declaration of Independence, McKean later served as governor of Pennsylvania. His assistance in drafting the Articles of Confederation (our first attempt at a Constitution) helped set our governmental framework.

Although educated at the same school McKean attended, George Read’s political views were quite different. Read was strongly against independence, favoring reconciliation with England. Despite his objections, when the Declaration of Independence was finally adopted, Read signed it. He later served as representative for Delaware and supported the formation of a powerful national government at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. Read subsequently was elected for two terms as senator from Delaware.

James Smith’s family emigrated from Ireland to Chester County where he attended the New London Academy, then later became captain of a militia in York, studied law and was admitted to the Bar of Pennsylvania. Smith was elected to the Continental Congress, where he joined his compatriots in signing the Declaration of Independence. A dorm on the campus of the University of Delaware is named in his honor.

Portraits of these men hang on the walls of the old schoolhouse, which is now the township building at 902 State Road. A bronze plaque bearing their names is mounted on a boulder outside. Other famous alumni include: Charles Thomson, who was secretary of the Continental Congress and later served as governor and also chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court; Hugh Williamson, who was a delegate to the Federal Constitutional Convention and John Ewing, provost of the University of Pennsylvania. Not far away at the corner of Route 896 and State Road stands another historic building- the Franklin Inn, built in 1817. It served as a tavern at a time when the country was regaining strength after a brutal war.

If you’re driving in southwestern Chester County and yearn for a glimpse of yesteryear, stop in at the New London Township building. Secretary/Treasurer Trish Fagan will greet you with a friendly smile and plenty of background information on this hamlet which gave young men the foundation for creating the country we all enjoy today.

Gene Pisasale is an author based in Kennett Square. His books and lecture series focus on topics of local and historical interest. Gene’s latest historical novel “The Forgotten Star” delves into the war of 1812 and true-life mysteries surrounding an American icon -- the Star-Spangled Banner. He can be reached at Gene@Genepisasale.com. For more information, visit his website at www.Genepisasale.com.